Taylor returns to Australia with good memories

JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Australian Ambassador Allan Taylor is returning to Canberra today, ending a four-year term as head of one of Jakarta's largest embassies.

"I enjoyed it very much. For me it was a great honor to have been ambassador in Jakarta," Taylor said yesterday on his last full day in charge.

Taylor will be succeeded by John McCarthy, formerly ambassador to the United States.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Taylor said the highlight of his term here was helping to foster important developments in the relationship between the two countries.

Australia is one of Indonesia's most important neighbors, and while relations have often been strained by recurrent spats, ties have continued to strengthen overall since the late 1980s.

During his four years here, Taylor endured some tough times including the infamous Mantiri and Kupa affairs.

While Canberra had already accepted the nomination of retired Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri as new envoy to replace Sabam Siagian, Jakarta was forced to withdraw its nomination after a public outcry over an old statement Mantiri had made on East Timor.

Earlier this year it was Canberra's turn to withdraw its nomination for Taylor's replacement after Jakarta began questioning the selection of Miles Kupa, a man known to be highly critical of President Soeharto.

Other scrapes included the burning of an Australian flag by protesters in front of the embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in retaliation to a similar incident to the Indonesian flag in Canberra.

For several days, the Australian embassy also had to "host" Timorese anti-integrationists who jumped the fence and sought asylum. After the Timorese left they claimed they had been mistreated during their stay at the embassy. The accusations however were never proven and quickly died.

Despite these adventures, Taylor still described his stay as enjoyable.

The archipelago is not new to Taylor. "It was my second posting here and as a result of that I think I was in a position to enjoy it more in seeing the country 20-years ago and seeing the developments since," he said.

Prior to being sent here in April 1993, Taylor served as Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria. He has also served as Deputy High Commissioner to Wellington, and in the embassy in Bangkok.

Despite having traveled much, Taylor admits he would have liked to have spent time getting to know even more about Indonesia.

"I spent most of my travels in and out of the provincial capitals. I would have liked to spend more time getting to know people in the areas that I visited," he remarked.

Upon his return to Australia, Taylor will be an advisor on international affairs at the Department of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

"It's the area of the prime minister and cabinet that looks after the prime minister's interests in international relations," he explained. (mds)